When San Ysidro’s Terry Tucker began his first season as Cougars coach five years ago, the Cougars won only one game.

Reasons to quit were aplenty. But the fact that he has had success elsewhere kept him in the saddle at the school on the border.

The retired 23-year U.S. Navy Lieutenant now devotes his full time to coaching the Cougars, who post a 14-3 record this season to go with a No. 9 ranking.

Of course it hasn’t always been that way. Despite records of 21-9 last year, 20-10 the year previous and 15-12 in 2008, Tucker has kept the Cougars on the rise.

Javion Watson, who’s Long Beach State bound, credits Tucker for turning the Cougars program around.

“He’s brought a sense of pride, both in academics and basketball,” said the senior who is averaging more than 30 points per game. “I’ve been in the program for four years and never taken a day off.”

Principal Hector Espinoza, who has been at the helm all 10 years of the school’s existence, mandated that all students wear uniforms.

“Hector is one of the brightest and (most) focused leaders I have ever met,” said Tucker. “He comes to work every day with a goal: Helping students achieve! When I met him, I knew San Ysidro was the school for me.”

Only six kids showed up at the team’s first organizational meeting.

“Everything was in place when I got here,” he continued. “It was not like we had a great basketball program, but the challenge was if you really want to coach basketball, this was the place with the biggest challenge.

By his own admission Tucker acknowledged that despite a rocky beginning back in Cleveland, Ohio, when he dropped out of high school, joining the Navy at 17 lit a fire under him and changed his life completely.

He recalled going from an uneducated E-1 to a fully commissioned Weapons Officer, retiring at age 40.

“My friends laugh and say I went from shooting million dollar Naval weapons at our nation’s enemies to teaching kids how to shoot (basketballs),” Tucker said.

Being ranked in the Top 10 for the first time in San Ysidro’s history “shows where we are currently,” said Tucker.

He credits Watson for setting the tone.

“Javion is a great player because he wants to be great,” said Tucker. “He never misses a practice or an opportunity to work out with the likes of Malcolm Thomas, Rico Tucker or Tyrone Shelley — he’s always learning and working. Javion plays every game as if it is his last.”

Watson had other college opportunities that included San Diego State, Arizona State and Northern Arizona among others.

“He’s going to be an excellent college player,” said Hoover veteran coach Ollie Goulston.

Watson followed a unique path.

“Javion never played AAU ball and still received a scholarship despite playing only at the high school level,” said Tucker. “He is the only player I can remember having done that in San Diego.”